In this Jan. 8, 2008 file photo, voting booths are ready for voters before the polls open in in the New Hampshire primary, Manchester, NH. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

(Newser)
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After electing its first African American president—thanks in part to a surge of new voters—the US is in danger of seeing “a subtle return of Jim Crow voting laws,” writes EJ Dionne Jr. in the Washington Post. New laws being passed here, supposedly to prevent voter fraud, would be condemned as “election-rigging” in an emerging democracy—but here in the US no one is saying a word. Voter fraud is not a real problem, Dionne alleges, it’s an imaginary problem serving as an excuse for the GOP to wage war on the right to vote.

The greatest impact of the new statues “will be to reduce turnout among African Americans, Latinos and the young,” the groups that helped to elect Obama in 2008. Meanwhile, the new laws—which include voter identification measures and limitations on early voting and same-day registration—will serve to benefit the Republican Party. In one particularly telling example, a Texas law allows concealed handgun licenses to be used as ID—but does not allow student IDs. "This," Dionne declares, "is the civil rights issue of our moment. The poor, the young, and people of color should get their IDs, flock to the polls and insist on their right to vote in 2012."

In one particularly telling example, a Texas law allows concealed handgun licenses to be used as ID—but does not allow student IDs. Lets look at the obvious people. You can not be in this country illegally or on a non immigrant visa to obtain a CCW permit in texas. Whereas you CAN be an illegal immigrant, or be in the state on an immigrant visa and obtain a school ID. ...And making it harder for organizations to register voters...You can thank ACORN for that one.

trailmix

Jun 21, 2011 5:58 PM CDT

The GOP sold out to the large corporations. They want to control the United States. If that happens we're all f*#ked.

BearTotem

Jun 21, 2011 12:49 PM CDT

washington will go to an all mail vote in the next election, so mas long as you have at least a general delivery at the local post office and you register, you can vote. you can even get them different languages. this practically makes all that other bull a moot point.